Saving Ginny
by Pocky Lord
Summary: Ron has been worried about all the changes his sister is going through, and Hermiones beginning to notise. Ron's POV, One Shot. [A "What if" Ginny turned Prep]


I can't help it. I need to protect her.

It's not that I don't trust her, I do really, but I don't trust the people she chooses to be with. Take that Ravenclaw kid for example-the one who came to our first meeting of Dumbledoor's Army. Sure he was supportive of the whole thing but then again he was the only one asking us why, what was the point? The git bloody well knew the point. All he wanted to do was stir up trouble and get people to join his side. Then she goes off and decides to flirt with him. Does she really hate me that much?

She knows it bothers me when she does this. I think that might be why she does it actually. I'm not stupid, contrary to popular belief. Sure, I can't memorize facts well but they don't interest me. This is my _sister_ I have to use my head when she's involved. Otherwise, I fear the worst might happen.

I don't understand why she went with that Ravenclaw git. Teenage Rebellion? No, I always thought she fancied Harry…I guess Hermione's right. I really don't know as much about Gin as I thought I did. 

What happened to when we were little and we told each other everything? Nights we'd hide under the covers and she'd tell me how Fred and George teased her because of something dumb she did. I'd tell her it's okay because they just wanted to point out that they weren't the only idiots in the house. I used to make her laugh with my excuses. Not anymore, she doesn't laugh around me anymore.

I can make Harry and Hermione laugh, and it means a lot to me when they do, but they can't replace her. When we pass in the hallways we don't even acknowledge each other anymore

She's changed and I can't understand why. It happened so fast I didn't even notice until it was too late. Her skirt got a little bit shorter, her eyes got a little bit darker, day-by-day she changes in front of me. I'm watching a sped up version of my sister growing up the wrong way. Even if I don't admit it to anyone, she scares me sometimes.

I walked in on her and the Ravenclaw kid yesterday making out in broad daylight on the quidditch field. She kept running her hands through his hair before she saw me and gasped before scowling and throwing a book at me. I made a face, it was rather disgusting to see my sister make out with some boy. I left without a word trying to erase the rather disturbing image of Michael Corner practically groping my sister's ass.

Everyday she's got a new boyfriend. Everyday another guy gets his heart broken by my "hot-stuff" sister.

"Ron what are you doing?" Hermione interrupts my thoughts.

"Staring at a wall."

"Well, you might want to consider actually working. Exams are going to come, you know!" I know this; I don't bother to say anything. A pause. Hermione continues her potions essay. I went back to my thoughts of Ginny.

Ginny, the named even seems foreign now. She goes by "Virginia". That name is too adult for her. She's fourteen! Not twenty-five. Although if you were to meet her now you might think the latter. Her chest certainly has expanded a great deal in the first few weeks of school, and she's the only Weasley without red hair. It's black as of right now, but I could be wrong, it seems to change hourly.

She wears make up to cover her freckles and enough mascara and eyeliner to convince anyone she's a raccoon animagus. She used to ask me what boys liked: make-up, piercings, tattoos, etc. And being the idiot brother I was, told her. We never kept secrets from each other back then, before she entered her first year at Hogwarts. I told her boys liked make-up on girls; I told her boys liked it when they wore tight clothing. But this was me saying this, not any boy. This was her _brother_. She actually trusted me that much to go out and do what I had said.

I regret this now, of course. She took everything I said to the extreme. Even if she wanted boys to like her she didn't have to—

"Ron?" I jumped and blinked before staring at Hermione with a what-do-you-want-I'm-busy-thinking-now expression on my face, but I felt myself melting away from just watching her.

"I know you're worried about Ginny." What!?

"What?" I sound like an idiot. I continue to stare at her. Am I that transparent?

"It's okay. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for bothering you earlier about studying. I know you're still worried her, and well, that's all." …wait _still _worried about her. How does she know that?

"How did you know?" I ask blatantly. No point in beating around the bush.

"I've just noticed Ginny. And lately she's become…different." To put it nicely. She looks away from me towards her book "I just know that if I was her brother I would be worried about her too." She admits and looks back up at me with a small supportive smile. I can feel my face redden so I nod and look back at the wall again, embarrassed at my own emotions, and how easily she can detect them. I definitely did not want her to see me now.

She goes back to reading so I steal a glance at her. Her brown wavy hair falls to the sides of her face. Her bright brown eyes are skimming the page, taking in the information she's receiving and suddenly I'm reminded of Ginny again. Ginny pouring over Tom Riddle's Diary. I suddenly have the urge to yank the book out of Hermione's hand and throw it against the wall, beat it into a bloody pulp and make sure it can never hurt my sister again. I turn away from Hermione and remind myself that the book is just a book and not the diary of a mass murderer.

Ginny can't you see I'm going crazy? I know you don't think I care but I do, and there's nothing I can do to stop you. Go shag all the boys here, I can't stop you. I wouldn't stop you if I could either. I think maybe you should be the one to realize what you're doing isn't right. Big brother's not going to stop you.

I bring my knees into my chest and close my eyes. The warmth from the fire feels good compared to the colder common room. I start thinking about the two of us when we were little again. How we would run though the house and the forest in the backyard, each of us begging Percy for a turn on his broom. He never used it anyway.

I remember those days. They seem awfully far away now. You seem awfully far away now too Gin. I stretch out again and move sideways on the chair, resting the backs of my knees on an armrest and my arms fold on my stomache. I'm facing away from Hermione, eyes still shut.

I sit like this for a while in the dark just listening to Hermione's scribbles. Everything seems a lot calmer now that it's so dark. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I know it's never calm for long and the day will come soon. But then again, the day can be nice too.

I feel a loft of air fly around me before something soft and wide falls on me. I'm so tired; I don't even realize Hermione put a blanket over me.

I'm dreaming, and in my dream Ginny's walking next to me. It's the old Ginny. She smiles at me. I smile back. Were racing each other to the other end of the quidditch field, now.

"I love you, Ron." I hear whispered into my ear, interrupting me of my dream. I'm half-asleep and too confused to understand though.

Ginny runs out of sight, and I'm left alone -not realizing the girl those words came from is walking up the stairs to the Girls Dormitory, away from me.

"But not forever." I remember myself thinking. "I'll see her tomorrow." My dream changes. It's all gone black, but it's not accompanied by that alone feeling I've been having lately. She must have chased it away. I feel the last of my coherent thoughts slipping into darkness.

I love you too Hermione. Thanks for understanding.


End file.
